Brexit deal vote: UK parliament's feuding factions

Posted Jan 14, 2019 by Robin MILLARD (AFP)

The British parliament is split into cross-party factions over the EU divorce deal.Parliament is to finally vote Tuesday on whether to support or vote against the agreement struck between Prime Minister Theresa May's government and the European Union.

The British parliament is to finally vote on whether to support or vote against the agreement struck between Prime Minister Theresa May's government and the EU

Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS, AFP

The British parliament is split into cross-party factions over the EU divorce deal.

Parliament is to finally vote Tuesday on whether to support or vote against the agreement struck between Prime Minister Theresa May's government and the European Union.

Here are the main camps in the Brexit battle among members of the 650-seat lower House of Commons:

- FOR -

The government:

Everyone on the government payroll must back government policy -- or resign. Gareth Johnson quit his junior government post on Monday but there was no last-minute flood of resignations. Heavyweight cabinet Brexiteers like Michael Gove and Liam Fox are backing the deal for now.

May loyalists:

Backbench Conservative MPs who are firmly behind the government and are happy with the deal. Alarmingly few in number.

Change-of-heart Conservatives:

Campaigners on both sides of the Brexit debate have continued to take to the streets -- long after the referendum -- to get their voices heard

Oli SCARFF, AFP

With decision time approaching, a handful of Tories have changed their minds in recent days. George Freeman, May's former policy chief, has come into this camp in recent days.

Get it done:

Conservative MPs who have reservations but just want to get a deal done and feel it is the least bad option. May's Downing Street office hopes to swell their ranks in the final hours.

- AGAINST -

Conservative hardcore Brexiteers:

Led by Jacob Rees-Mogg, this faction also includes former foreign secretary Boris Johnson and former Brexit secretaries David Davis and Dominic Raab, who believe the deal delivers vassalage rather than independence.

Rees-Mogg's European Research Group triggered a vote of no confidence in May in December, but she won and secured her leadership for another 12 months.

Labour Party:

Most Labour lawmakers are pro-EU and will follow the party line.

Prime Minister Theresa May published further assurances from the EU on the eve of a crucial parliamentary vote on her Brexit deal

Oli SCARFF, AFP

Leader Jeremy Corbyn wants to defeat the deal, then launch a vote of no confidence in the prime minister and trigger a general election, in which he would campaign to go ahead with Brexit, but renegotiate the deal.

If this plan fails, the party is open to backing a second Brexit referendum.

The bulk of MPs supporting the People's Vote campaign, which calls for a second Brexit referendum -- in the hope of stopping Brexit -- comes from the Labour backbenches.